# Wynonna (album)

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Robert Christgau | |
| Entertainment Weekly | C+ |
| Los Angeles Times | |
| Q | |
| Rolling Stone | |
Wynonna is the debut solo studio album by American country music artist Wynonna Judd, released on March 31, 1992, via MCA Records in association with Curb Records.
Prior to the release of Wynonna, Judd was part of the massively successful duo, the Judds, which consisted of her and her mother Naomi Judd. They were one of the biggest acts in country in the 1980's until the duo disbanded in 1991 following Naomi's hepatitis diagnosis. Production on Wynonna was handled by Tony Brown except "Live with Jesus", which was produced by Paul Kennerley.
Wynonna received mostly favorable reviews from music critics upon its release and became one of the best selling country albums of all time by a female artist. All of the album's four singles topped either the Billboard or Radio & Records country airplay charts, with "I Saw the Light" becoming the number one country song of 1992 according to Billboard. The album has gone on to become certified 5× platinum in the United States and is to date, Wynonna's best selling album.

## Content

The album's first three singles, "She Is His Only Need", "I Saw the Light", "No One Else on Earth", topped the US Billboard Hot Country Songs, for a combined total of eight weeks, while the album's final single "My Strongest Weakness" also cracked the top five of the chart. "When I Reach the Place I'm Goin'" was later recorded by Patty Loveless for the 1994 compilation album Red Hot + Country and on her 2005 album Dreamin' My Dreams. "It's Never Easy to Say Goodbye" was later recorded by Kenny Chesney on his 1996 album Me and You.

## Personnel

As listed in liner notes.
* Wynonna Judd – lead vocals, backing vocals (2, 5, 8)
* John Barlow Jarvis – keyboards (1, 9)
* Steve Nathan – keyboards (2–4, 6, 8, 9)
* Matt Rollings – keyboards (2–4, 6–8)
* Barry Beckett – keyboards (7)
* Paul Kennerley – all instruments (10), backing vocals (10)
* George Marinelli – electric guitar (1, 9)
* Don Potter – acoustic guitar (1–5, 7–9), MIDI acoustic guitar (5), electric guitar (6)
* Steuart Smith – acoustic guitar (1, 5, 9), electric guitar (1–4, 6–8)
* Sam Bush – mandolin (7, 9)
* Marty Stuart – electric guitar (8)
* Leland Sklar – bass (1, 9)
* Willie Weeks – bass (2–8)
* Rick Marotta – drums (1, 9)
* Eddie Bayers – drums (2–8)
* Dave Loggins – backing vocals (2)
* Judy Rodman – backing vocals (2)
* Andrew Gold – backing vocals (3)
* Naomi Judd – backing vocals (5)
* John Cowan – backing vocals (6)
* Jonell Mosser – backing vocals (6, 8)
* Gary Chapman – backing vocals (7)
* Donna McElroy – backing vocals (7)

## Production

* Producers – Tony Brown (Tracks #1–9) and Paul Kennerley (Track #10).
* Associate Producer – Don Potter
* Recorded by Chuck Ainlay, Paul Kennerley and Steve Tillisch.
* Second Engineers – Jeff Coppage, Karen Eckhoff, Jason Garner, Mel Jones, Russ Martin and Craig White.
* Overdubs recorded by Chuck Ainlay, Brad Gilderman and Russ Martin.
* Recorded at Emerald Sound Studio, 16th Avenue Sound and Backstage Studio (Nashville, TN).
* Track #10 recorded at Paul Kennerley's house
* Mixed by Chuck Ainlay
* Mastered by Chuck Ainlay and Denny Purcell at Georgetown Masters (Nashville, TN).
* Project Coordinator – Jessie Noble
* Art Direction and Design – Team Design, Inc.
* Hand Lettering – Andy Engel
* Photography – Peter Nash
* Director of Creative Services – Jim Kemp
* Hair – Earl Cox/Trumps
* Make-up – Mary Beth Felts
* Styling – Vanessa Ware

## Certifications

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Canada (Music Canada) | 2× Platinum | 200,000$^^$ |
| United States (RIAA) | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000$^^$ |
| $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |||